SCI/TECH: Nicole - The World's First Known Transoceanic Shark, page 1

posted on Oct, 9 2005 @ 08:10 AM

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A female great white shark affectionately named Nicole has completed the worlds first known transoceanic journey for the species after travelling more than 20000 kilometres. The shark was tagged in South African waters and the data then recorded a strikingly direct route to Australia, the path taken void of Oceanic Islands. On the journey Nicole dived to depths of 980 metres (3215 feet) which is a record for great white sharks but spent most of the time swimming on the surface. Nicole was named after Australian popular actress and shark lover Nicole Kidman.

news.mongabay.com

In addition to traveling farther than any other known shark, Nicole completed the trip from South Africa to Australia and back in just under nine months, the fastest return migration of any swimming marine organism known.

Ninety-nine days later, Nicole was swimming about a mile from shore just south of the Exmouth Gulf in western Australia, where her tag detached and floated to the surface with all of her secrets.

This leg of the journey alone—some 6,897 miles (11,100 kilometers)—was one for the record books. However, Nicole would resurface again on August 20, 2004, not in Australian waters, but back in Gansbaai, South Africa, where she was tagged just under nine months before. Her distinctively notched dorsal fin was photographed by Michael Scholl, one of Bonfil’s team researchers and compared to previous photographs he had taken over a period of six years. After a detailed comparison of images of dorsal fin notches and markings, there was no longer any doubt: Nicole had returned to her home waters.

Nicole’s complete journey of more than more than 12,400 miles (more than 20,000 kilometers) is by far the longest distance traveled by any shark known to science. By comparison, a whale shark tagged in the Gulf of California was tracked with a satellite transmitter traveling some 8,078 miles (13,000 kilometers) to the western Pacific.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

One of the most fascinating news articles I have read in a long time. Absolutely amazing. This animal has travelled farther than many animals travel in their lifetime. Even migratory sea species travelling from north to south would not travel that fast or that long a distance on their annual journeys.

She seemed like she was on a real mission for something. She took a direct route to Australia and back. An amazing creature.

I love the way with the advent of new technolgy we are learning so much more and more daily about this planet we live on and the life she sustains upon her.

[edit on 9-10-2005 by Mayet]

wecomeinpeace

posted on Oct, 9 2005 @ 08:41 AM

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What can I say? Australia's a great place to go for a holiday.

theBLESSINGofVISION

posted on Oct, 9 2005 @ 08:43 AM

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COOL POST MAYET!
EXCELLENT COMMENTARY!

I'm not big on marine biology, but this was new info that I have now absorbed.

Animals are capable of cool stuff. Wonder why she did it, though!

Zanzibar

posted on Oct, 9 2005 @ 08:47 AM

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Thats pretty cool, there must have been a purpose though. It seems a shame that everyone fears sharks and wants to kill them all the time. Fascinating critters.

Zanzibar- one close shark encounter and still in the water!

jsobecky

posted on Oct, 9 2005 @ 11:01 AM

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I wonder why she did it also. But, isn't Australia famous for having tons of great whites swimming around the Great Barrier Reef? Maybe she went to give birth?

Fascinating place is Australia.

subz

posted on Oct, 9 2005 @ 11:32 AM

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Not that I am aware of, Ive scuba dived in the Great Barrier Reef and im pretty sure there were no Great Whites!

However there were white tipped reef sharks that buzzed me by swimming one below one above me. Im sure the bubbles flying from my mouth amused them.

Also "Nicole" swam to Western Australia, which is on the complete opposite side of the continent to the Great Barrier Reef which is in Queensland.

jsobecky

posted on Oct, 9 2005 @ 12:15 PM

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Whoops! Geography was never one of my strengths.

I've never been there but from what I've seen on TV about the waters there, you've got some big and nasty creatures down there, including salt water crocs.

And you scuba dive in those waters? You are one brave person!

Mayet

posted on Oct, 9 2005 @ 04:52 PM

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Phew.... I was thinking I had yet another thing to be petrified of when swimming. I live on the great barrier reef and yes we already have to look out for loads of deadlys. No swimming in the sea for the six months over summer. We have to contend with Irikandji (tiny deadly creatures), Box Jellyfish, Crocodiles, Stone Fish and sea snakes. I am rather glad the area is not reknowned for the great white. I think the waters would be too warm.

xtap59

posted on Oct, 9 2005 @ 05:45 PM

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Sharks have been around millions of years. They have evolved into the perfect eating machine.
Science has only scratched the surface in the study of marine life.

Shaker

posted on Oct, 9 2005 @ 06:43 PM

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I think Nicole went there because that's where all the good food is...

Can't let those other sharks get all the good eats...

I See You

posted on Oct, 9 2005 @ 06:51 PM

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Thanks for the story. I've always been fascinated with other animals. National Geographic is my number one channel. You gotta love a story like this and it gives you a break from the other posts here that kinda drive you crazy once and awhile.

skychief

posted on Oct, 9 2005 @ 07:10 PM

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Very interesting article. That was a pretty long journey and the fact that it was done in such a realitively short period of time is amazing. There is still so much to learn about this fascinating predator. Could she have been following a good food source? Is it possible that she went to the waters off Australia to breed or have a baby and if so, could this have been where she was born? Great thread Mayet.

sugeshotcha

posted on Oct, 9 2005 @ 10:29 PM

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being a resident of SA, one of the largest great white population spots in the world we have had a few shark attacks lately. I'm wondering, through this electronic tagging do you think they could also send information or signals/frequencies back to the shark to make it move closer to the shoreline and send it into a feeding frenzy?? (Makes me think of the movie Deep Blue Sea with LL Cool J and those crazy ass sharks). If anyone believes the pyramid of power whereby the governments are trying to terrorise the public through fear such as acts of terrorism, hurricanes, earthqueakes, then this could be another part of it, instilling constant fear through these various events.